الحوتConceptWhale in the QuranالحوتCosmology5Verses4Surahs14Connections#611of 828

Key Verses

1. 37:145As-Saffat
   ۞فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٞ
   Then We cast him on a desert shore while he was sick;
   In context

   So I took him from the stomach of the whale and placed him on a land barren of trees and buildings, in the state that he was physically weak because of having stayed in the stomach of the whale for a while.

2. 7:163Al-ArafWarning
   وَسۡـَٔلۡهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلۡقَرۡيَةِ ٱلَّتِي كَانَتۡ حَاضِرَةَ ٱلۡبَحۡرِ إِذۡ يَعۡدُونَ فِي ٱلسَّبۡتِ إِذۡ تَأۡتِيهِمۡ حِيتَانُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ سَبۡتِهِمۡ شُرَّعٗا وَيَوۡمَ لَا يَسۡبِتُونَ لَا تَأۡتِيهِمۡۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَبۡلُوهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَفۡسُقُونَ
   Ask them (O Muhammad) of the township that was by the sea, how they did break the Sabbath, how their big fish came unto them visibly upon their Sabbath day and on a day when they did not keep Sabbath came they not unto them. Thus did We try them for that they were evil-livers.
   In context

   Ask the Jews about how Allah punished some of the Israelites. Remind them of the story of the town which was near to the sea where they used to overstep the limits of Allah: fishing on the Sabbath after they had been forbidden from doing so.

3. 18:63Al-Kahf
   قَالَ أَرَءَيۡتَ إِذۡ أَوَيۡنَآ إِلَى ٱلصَّخۡرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ ٱلۡحُوتَ وَمَآ أَنسَىٰنِيهُ إِلَّا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَنۡ أَذۡكُرَهُۥۚ وَٱتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡبَحۡرِ عَجَبٗا
   He said: Didst thou see, when we took refuge on the rock, and I forgot the fish - and none but Satan caused me to forget to mention it - it took its way into the waters by a marvel.
   In context

   The boy said: Do you remember what happened when we rested by the rock? I forgot to tell you about the fish. It was only Satan who made me forget to mention it to you. The fish came to life and it amazingly found its way into the sea.

4. 37:142As-SaffatCommand
   فَٱلۡتَقَمَهُ ٱلۡحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٞ
   And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy;
   In context

   So when they threw him into the sea, a whale took him and swallowed him. He was to face the blame that was to come to him, because of him going to the sea without permission from his Lord.

5. 68:48Al-QalamCommand
   فَٱصۡبِرۡ لِحُكۡمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلۡحُوتِ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكۡظُومٞ
   But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
   In context

   O Messenger! So wait for the decision of your Lord to give them respite and gradually lead them into destruction. And do not be like the companion of the whale i.e. Jonah (peace be upon him) who became annoyed with his people, and then called out to his Lord while distressed in the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the stomach of the whale.